The present invention relates to a load lifter hook construction.
The present invention relates to a load lifter hook construction, and more particularly, a hook construction that can be manipulated from a remote point, to engage, or disengage, the load. The hook construction is especially suited for raising, or lowering equipment, tools, cans of paint, buckets and building materials between ground level and elevated locations on buildings under construction or repair. The present invention enables one man to safely raise or lower equipment for service work without having to climb up or down a ladder, and without having to risk injury caused by holding onto a ladder with one hand while holding onto a piece of equipment with the other hand.
The use of lifter hooks attached to ropes, or cables, for raising or lowering a load is well known. One problem with such lifter hooks is that a person may find it difficult to engage the hook with the load or to disengage the hook from the load. For example, a person standing on the roof of a building may have difficulty in swinging a hook on the lower end of a rope into engagement with a handle on a paint can or toolbox located at ground level. The hook will tend to twist, or swing, beyond the handle, instead of moving into the handle opening. Frequently, it is necessary to have a second person located at ground level for attaching the hook to the equipment that is to be lifted, or for removing the hook from the equipment after it has been lowered.
Hook structures capable of remote manipulation have been devised. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,523,434, issued to N. Johnson on Sep. 26, 1950, shows a cargo hook construction wherein the hook element is swingable and laterally slidable on a separate suspension element. A control rope is connected to the hook element for remote manipulation of the hook element out of engagement with the load.
Japanese Patent 0198998, issued in August 1990 to Hisato Nakahara, shows a hook construction having an auxiliary eye connected to a control rope so that when the load is at its final location the hook can be partially overturned to disengage the hook from the load.
U.S. Pat. No. 839,036, issued to H. Roberts on Dec. 18, 1906, shows a hook structure that is connectable to a control rope via a system of meshed sector gears and swingable links, whereby the hook element can be swung into engagement with the load.